Suction cleaner



Feb. 3, 1942. BERG 2,271,536

sucTioN CLEANER Original Filed Dec. 14, 1938 INVENTOR. Quentin Berg ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 SUCTION CLEANER Quentin Berg, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application December 14, 1938, Serial No.

245,623, now Patent No. 2,218,161, dated October 15, 1940. Divided and this application January 19, 1940, Serial No. 314,593

7 Claims.

This application is a division of my co-pending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 245,623, filed December 14, 1938, which has matured into Patent No. 2,218,161, granted October 15, 1940.

The present invention relates to suction cleaners and particularly to a new and improved handle control mechanism in a suction cleaner. More specifically, the invention comprises an improved handle position control in a suction cleaner which is characterized in that the handle control mechanism is arranged above the body of the suction cleaner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object to provide new and improved handle controlling means in a suction cleaner. Another object is to provide a handle control that is operated by a foot pedal arranged above the body of the suction cleaner. Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon referring to the following specification and claims, and the attached drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view partly in section of the construction shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the parts constituting the foot operated handle control mechanism.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed comprises a suction cleaner having a main casing I not completely shown provided with an unshown nozzle and fan chamber communieating with an exhaust passageway I2 which terminates in a flange I3 to which is removably secured an unshown dirt bag. The casing I0 supports an unshown motor which operates an unshown fan to create suction and draw dirtladen air from the surface being cleaned through the nozzle and discharges the dirt-laden air into the bag. The cleaner is supported on unshown front and rear wheels.

The cleaner is propelled over the surface covering being cleaned by means of a handle I8 pivotally mounted to the body of the cleaner through being removably clamped in a split socket I9 which is formed with integral side walls 20, spaced apart by substantially the diameter of the handle and joined by a circular top wall 2| and a rear wall 9. The pivotal axis is formed by a pin 22 which extends through the side walls 20 of the handle socket and is carried by the side walls 23, 23 of a bracket 24 rigidly mounted upon the top surface of the exhaust outlet I2. The bracket 24 is of substantially U-shape and the opposed side walls 23 thereof are spaced apart by means'of a connecting rear wall 25 which is suitably secured to the exhaust flange I3.

Segment means 29, 29 are formed integrally with the side walls 23 of the handle bracket 24 by forming thereon stops 26, 21 and 28 which provide different ranges of handle movement.

Cooperating with the segments 29 is a latch plate 10 provided at its upper end with an integral sleeve II pivotally mounted on a pin 69 rigidly secured to the handle socket I9 above the pivotal axis 22 of the cleaner handle I9. The detent plate I0 is provided with laterally projecting locking detents I2 for engagement with the stops 26, 2! and 28 on the segments 29 to position the handle in diiferent operating positions. The locking detents I2 are at all times urged into engagement with the segments 29 by means of a spring I3 bearing against the handle socket wall 2| and arranged about a pin I4 secured to the latch plate I0.

In order to actuate the latch plate III with respect to the segments 29 a foot operated lever I5 is provided and comprises an elongated lever arm I6 terminating in a laterally extending pedal 11 which is adapted to receive the foot of the operator. The lever 15 is also provided with an offset portion having spaced members 68, 68 between which an actuating lever arm I8 extends upwardly and is provided with an opening I9 in which is disposed the pivot pin 22, the opening I9 being considerably larger than the pivot pin 22.

- The lever I5 is pivotally supported by means of a pin extending through the members 68, one end of the pin being supported in the back wall 25 of the handle bracket 24 and the other end supported in a plate 8| rigidly secured to one of the side walls 23 of the handle supporting bracket 24. A coil spring 83 is arranged about the pivot pin 22 and between the actuating lever arm I8 and one of the side walls 23 of the handle bracket 24 and tends at all times to pivot the lever '15 counter-clockwise as viewed in Figure 4, about the pivot pin 80 to urge the foot pedal 1! upwardly into jhandle locking position. The lever arm I8 of the lever I5 is provided with a cam surface 84 which is adapted to engage a cam surface 85 on a cam 86 rigidly secured to the detent plate I0 to disengage the locking detents I2 from the segments 29 when the foot pedal 11 is depressed. The lever I5 is completely arranged above the cleaner casing II] to provide a convenient location for the foot pedal 11 that is easily contacted by the foot of the operator. The motor housing l5 partially shown in Figure 4 encloses the motor and is provided with a slot along its marginal edge to accommodate the lever arm 16 extending exteriorly of the motor hous mg.

A relative strong spring 87 has'one end secured to a pin 88 rigidly attached to a side wall 20 of the handle socket and has its other end attached to a lug 89 formed in the main casing I0. The spring 81 is arranged below the pivotal axis 22 of the handle and at all times tends to counterbalance the weight of the cleaner handle 18.

In operation, assume the handle I8 to be in storage position, the locking detents "12 being urged into engagement with the stops 26 on the segments 29 by means of the latch spring I3. In order to lower the handle to a convenient operating angle, the operator steps upon the foot pedal 11 thereby pivoting the lever 15 about the pin 80 against the force exerted by the coil spring 83 and causing the lever arm 18 to move to the right, as viewed in Figure 4, against the force of the spring 83. Movement of the lever arm 18 with respect to the pivot pin 22 is permitted due to the relatively large diameter of the opening '19 with respect to the pivot pin 22. This movement of the lever arm 18 causes it to engage the cam surface 85 on the cam 86 to pivot the latch plate about its pivot pin 69 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, to withdraw the locking detents 12 from engagement with the stops 26, the handle can then be pivoted downwardly into the working range between the stops 26 and 21.

The operator then removes his foot from the pedal 11 whereby the coil spring 83 pivots the lever about its axis 80 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 4, causing the lever arm 18 to move out of engagement with cam 85 permitting the locking detents 12 to ride upon the surfaces 34 between the stops 26 and 2'1.

If the operator desires to use the handle in a lower operating position, the foot pedal 71 is depressed to move the lever arm 18 into engagement with the cam 85 on the latch plate 10 causing the latter to move out of engagement with the stops 2?, whereby the handle [8 may be pivoted downwardly at which time the operator removes his foot from the pedal 11 and the locking detents 12 enter the working range between the stops 2! and 28. Should the operator desire to return the handle to a higher operating range or to storage position, he merely pivots the handle upwardly and the locking detents 12 ride over the carnmed surfaces 34 and 35 forcing the latch plate 10 to pivot against the force of the latch spring 13 without the necessity of manipulating the foot pedal 11.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivoted on said body, cooperating handle control means mounted on said body and handle and comprising segment means, movably mounted de-. tent means engageable with said segment means to hold said handle in different positions, a cam on said detent means, and means movable in a direction transverse to the movement of said handle for slidably engaging said cam for moving said detent means out of engagement with said segment means for free movement of said handle.

2. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivoted on said body, cooperating handle control means mounted on said body and handle and comprising segment means, movably mounted detent means engageable with said segment means to hold said handle in different positions, and movably mounted means movable in a direction transverse to the movement of said detent means for engagement with the latter to move said detent means out of engagement with said segment means for free movement of said handle.

3. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivotally mounted on said body, cooperating handle control means mounted on said body and handle and comprising segment means, pivotally mounted detent means engageable with said segment means to hold said handle in different positions, and means movable along the pivotal axis of said handle for engagement with said detent means to move the latter out of engagement with said segment means for free movement of said handle.

4. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivoted on said body, locking segment means mounted on said body, locking detent means pivotally mounted on said handle for engagement with said segment means to hold said handle in different operative positions, and foot-operated means pivoted on said body and having a foot operated lever arm and a detent actuating lever arm engageable with said detent means to operate the latter upon actuation of said lever.

5. In a suction cleaner, a body, handle supporting means on said body, a handle pivoted on said handle supporting means, a locking segment integral with said handle supporting means, locking detent means pivoted on said handle, a cam on said detent means, a foot operated lever pivoted to said handle supporting means and having a foot-operated lever arm and a detent actuating lever arm slidable along the pivotal axis of said handle, and a spring on the pivotal axis of said handle for urging said detent actuating lever arm out of engagement with said detent means whereby the latter engages said segment to hold the handle in an operative position.

6. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivoted on the top and rear of said body, locking segment means mounted on the top and rear of said body, locking detent means pivotally carri'ed by said handle and engageable with said segment means, and a foot-operated lever pivoted on and above said body and having a lever arm slidably engageable with said detent means, and a lever arm extending laterally of said body above the latter for engagement with the operators foot to actuate said detent means for removable engagement with said segment means to position said handle in different operative positions.

7. In a suction cleaner, a body, a handle pivoted on said body, and cooperating handle control means mounted on said body and handle and comprising segment means on said body, detent means movably mounted on said handle and engageable with said segment means, and a manually operated lever having a lever arm slidably engaging said detent means for moving the latter into removable engagement with said segment means to hold said handle in adjusted positions.

QUENTIN BERG. 

